Specific exercises for one-handed backhand

I use a one hander and was thinking are there specific exercises for one-handed backhand that I can do to strengthen my arm and also improve reaction time as I tend to get caught late a lot? Also want to add power to the backhand, seem to find it difficult to generate power on the backhand side.

Good preparation and use of the kinetic chain is all you need. Look how many skinny juniors hit good one handers. When you have bad mechanics you feel weak, so you think it is a strength issue. A racquet is light, if you can swing your arms you can swing a racquet (think about how much your arms weigh). Were you do feel weakness is grip strength. Hang from a bar for time, or do pull ups. You'll build the grip strength you need to transfer your body's momentum.

^ Agreed. Timing & proper stroke mechanics (good kinetic chain action) are much more important than building muscle strength. However, you might want to perform some rotator cuff exercises and forearm exercises to prevent overuse injuries to the shoulder and elbow areas. You might also want to take a gander at overload/underload training (discussed in another thread in this forum).

If you find that your preparation is late on some shots, use a BH slice rather than a topspin BH stroke. If you are chronically late, perhaps you are delaying your preparation too much. Be sure to split step as your opponent is contacting the ball. You should decide before the ball even crosses the net if you are going to hit a BH stroke. Start your unit turn before the ball bounces. Better yet, start that preparation before the ball crosses the back service line (before the ball reaches NML). The split step and the earlier body/racket prep should help quite a bit.

I've been limping by w/ a torn rotator cuff and labrum (both fairly minor) for over 10 yrs. I wasn't able to do pushups but playing tennis was still possible albeit w/ some limitations. Finally went to a surgeon thinking it's time to go under the knife. I was given a cortisone injection (thought it would hurt, it didn't) and physical therapy. I was prescribed some rotator cuff exercises w/ a stretch band to strengthen the shoulder at home.

Within a couple of weeks, I saw huge improvements to my game. Not only pain free, but I find I'm no longer always shanking nor always late, esp on the backhand returns. And even when I do shank badly, it doesn't hurt as much if at all. Less shanking = more power .

My guess is that my timing was still stuck in the mind but the body wasn't following along. Now the body seems to be more in sync w/ the mind.